The use of a cooking fat product for frying often is accompanied by spattering. Spattering occurs when water or a water containing food product such as meat is brought in contact with a heated frying fat.
Spattering behaviour of a cooking fat product which contains no substantial amount of dispersed water, particularly of a cooking oil, is measured generally by determining its spattering value SVoil according to the corresponding protocol as specified in the examples section.
Common anti-spattering agents for use in cooking fat products comprise emulsifiers in a broad sense e.g. lecithin, hydrolysed lecithin, esters of citric acid and alcohols (Citrem™) and cooking salt. Only lecithin and cooking salt are natural, but the effect of lecithin on spattering is limited. Lecithin, moreover, has the disadvantage that it may decompose at high frying temperatures and causes bad smell, discoloration and foaming. Cooking salt (sodium chloride) has to be added in a substantial amount for showing an effect.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,165 discloses an edible oil composition suitable for frying applications, comprising a liquid oil, an emulsifier, a browning substance and an effective amount of a stabilising material. Suitable emulsifiers mentioned in this document include monoglycerides, lecithins, citric acid esters, tartaric acid esters, lactic acid esters and mixtures thereof.
The examples in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,165 show that products comprising soy lecithin exhibit only limited spattering when beef was fried.
Patents EP 477825 and EP 771531 disclose the use of citric acid esters for improving spattering behaviour.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,122 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,021 disclose water and oil emulsions comprising a citric acid ester of a mono- or diglyceride of fatty acids for improving spattering behaviour.
WO 01/84945 mentions the use of a citric ester of a partial fatty acid glyceride for improving spattering behaviour.
A relatively high salt content is typical for most prior art cooking oils which show an improved spattering behaviour. EP 775444 discloses a pourable fat containing composition comprising herbs, spices, nuts or seeds and 1-10 wt. % of salt.
The present invention provides a method for improving the spattering behaviour of a cooking fat product using ingredients which are cheap, natural and highly effective.